Clarence T. Summers, Inc Hardware Store, Newberry, South Carolina

 

“I’ve never made the separation between, say, the museum and the hardware store. I mean, I enjoy both of them, and I want to combine the two.”

Andy Warhol

Our day in Newberry, South Carolina would not have been complete without a visit to this world famous hardware store. Why is Clarence T. Summers, Inc. Hardware Store so famous you ask? Well, for one, the show American Pickers did an episode in the store. This store is not just a hardware store, but is also an antique shop, and history center. Yes, it carries the usual hardware items such as nails, bolts and screws and things you would normally expect to see in a hardware store but they also offer antiques from as early as the 1700’s and many unique items you will not find anywhere else.

We walked into the store and we immediately felt like we stepped back into the past. One of the first things we noticed was a gorgeous antique stove and an unusual corner sink displayed on the isle just inside the entryway. When I say this store has a lot of items, I’m not kidding. This store was loaded with stuff from the ceiling to the floor. There were toboggans, Radio Flyer sleds, buckets, pots, old stoves, cast iron items, old gas pumps, gas lanterns, bath tubs, old wood, and I could go on and on. They even sell tiles in discontinued colors from the 1960’s that you just may need for a home repair. 

We were amazed walking isle to isle seeing the amazing amount of items in each row. There are well over 30,000 items in this three story store. There is also a separate warehouse full of items just in case you can not find it in the store. There were bear traps, weather vanes, fixtures, camping gear, faucets, garden clocks, mailboxes, tools, and more. What an incredible store.

We were fortunate to have gotten the chance to meet Bill Shull, the owner and proprietor of the shop. He is a very friendly guy with a great smile who will welcome you and tell you all about the history of the town and his shop. He is quite the character and a joy to be around making him being the second reason for his store being famous. I asked him how he could find things in this store. He looked up above his glasses thoughtfully and told us that he has a photogenic memory. He explained how he would go isle by isle in his mind to find an item. As you can see from the pictures, this is quite a feat. I don’t know how he does it. He told us he is the grandson of C. T. Summer who started this business in 1928.

Bill told us, “There is one thing in this store that is not in any other. Can you guess what it is?” We could not as we hadn’t explored the entire store yet. He showed us a wooden case on the counter with a gold looking coin in it, and asked us, “Do you know what this is?” Before I say what it was, let me say this is the third reason why this store is famous. “This is a copy of my father, Clifford G. Shull’s 1994 Nobel Prize that he was awarded for his physic research on neutron scattering,” he said with a glint in his eyes. He beamed with pride when he spoke of his father who completed his MS and PHD in Physics at New York University. He said his father worked at Oak Ridge National Lab which is a major honor, and later worked as a professor at MIT. He handed us a whole folder that he had put together with pictures and articles of his fathers great accomplishments.

Bill continued to brag that his bother has a MS and PHD in Metallurgical engineer and his mom. Martha-Nuel Summer finished her MA and PHD in history at Columbia University. He went on to say he is the dumb one of the family. Not true at all. He graduated from Furman University with Nuclear Biology Degree. It seems smarts run in his family.

Bill, stood back as we continued to walk around the store, and lit his pipe. He is very content with his lot in life and loves his store and family history. He went on to say, “If you can’t find it, ask me, and if we don’t have it, you probably don’t need it.” As we walked from room to room, the store just kept stretching on. When we got back near Bill, he gave a couple fliers with information about his store and its history. We thanked him and were glad we found this hardware store and got to meet Bill Shull, a great guy.

If you are ever in Newberry, SC, stop by and say hi to Bill when visiting his wonderful store. He will make you feel right at home and you will not leave without having a laugh or too. 

 Till next time. Bye for now.